Organic Lentils vs. Conventional Lentils: Which is Better?

When choosing lentils, you’ll want to decide which is better and make the comparison, organic lentils vs. conventional.

Organic lentils are better than conventional lentils because they are untreated with synthetic pesticides. Conventional lentils are often sprayed with chemicals like glyphosate (RoundUp), which may be harmful to human health. Glyphosate has been linked to numerous diseases, including intestinal inflammation, autism, hypertension, and more. 

Below, you will learn whether or not it is beneficial for you to buy organic, what lentils are, common types of lentils and the health benefits of eating lentils. 

Organic Lentils vs. Conventional Lentils  

organic lentils.
Organic Lentils

As a Certified Health Coach many clients ask me about food comparisons including lentils. Also, I purchase and consume them every month. Therefore, I have researched this topic in the past and present. Let’s examine the two types closely.

Organic lentils may be safer than conventional lentils since they are grown without desiccation 1

Desiccation is the progress of applying herbicides, most commonly glyphosate (otherwise known as RoundUp) to crops during harvest. This makes all of the crops dry and easier to cut down. Since the herbicides are applied during harvest, exposure to these chemicals is even greater than during typical herbicide use. In addition to glyphosate, other chemicals may include paraquat and diquat.

Researchers have discovered that glyphosate may have harmful effects on human health. Studies have found that it is linked to a number of serious diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, senile dementia, inflammatory disease, renal failure, thyroid, and liver cancer 2.  

Glyphosate has been found to have an especially negative effect on the digestive system 2. It may destroy the microorganisms that live in the intestines 3. This may hinder the body’s ability to absorb vitamins, minerals, and proteins. 

Some studies have found a correlation between the increased usage of RoundUp and the number of children diagnosed with autism 2. Some of the ailments potentially caused by RoundUp are often experienced by autistic children, including problems with intestinal bacteria, intestinal inflammation, reduction in levels of serotonin and melatonin, mitochondrial disorders, and deficiencies in iron and zinc. 

Researchers at the University of California, Davis also found that pregnant women who lived near fields with herbicides were more likely to have children with autism 4. The study discovered that, in California, two out of three autistic children were born to women who lived near fields 2.

While the exact health effects of glyphosate are still unclear, numerous studies have indicated that it has a potentially negative impact on human health. So, it is simply safer for you and your family to buy organic lentils that don’t use high levels of this potential harmful herbicide.

Find out how quinoa compared to lentils in my article, Quinoa vs Lentils: Which is Better? A Complete Comparison.

conventional lentils
Conventional lentils

If you have any questions to ask me about this article don’t hesitate to comment below or email us. You can find an email on our contact page.

Read Next – More Food vs Food

Legumes vs Nuts: What’s the Difference? A Comparison

Organic Spinach vs. Regular Spinach: What’s the Difference?

Is Organic Chicken Free Range?

Free-Range Chicken vs. Grain-Fed Chicken: Which is Better?

What are Lentils?

  1. Wikipedia: Crop desiccation[]
  2. MDPI: Critical Review of the Effects of Glyphosate Exposure to the Environment and Humans through the Food Supply Chain[][][][]
  3. National Center for Biotechnology Information: Glyphosate, pathways to modern diseases ll: Celiac sprue and gluten intolerance[]
  4. National Center for Biotechnology Information: Prenatal and infant exposure to ambient pesticides and autism spectrum disorder in children: population based case-control study[]

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